MSU Football Offers Another Big LB Prospect
Michigan State defensive coordinator Joe Rossi had a busy week on the recruiting trail, offering 2026 linebackers Mathieu Kanu and Angel Luciano, who both announced their offers on social media last week. There is a common trend between the both of them.
But first.
Rossi's hybrid 4-3 defense looks like a 3-4 and for good reason. He utilizes a stand-up rush end, which rush ends coach Chad Wilt called an answer to the passing offenses that dominate modern football.
"We can take those guys that we have in our package -- I mean, there's a lot of things we can do with those guys," Wilt said last spring. "And our check systems -- 'How do we want to play this formation? How do we want to play this set? How do we want to play open pictures? How do we play empty pictures?' We have variety within the scheme and system and they're standing up, it becomes a little bit easier to get in and out of things."
Beyond Blessed to receive my 3rd D1 offer from Michigan State !!!@JoeS_Rossi @Coach_Gordon20 @AndrewErby @LeaneBeckey @PRZPAvic pic.twitter.com/sDGeTGIAOY
— Angel Luciano 26’ 6’3 LB/ATH (@AngelLucianoIII) January 3, 2025
That being said, the rush end position has typically been given to longer, taller linebackers or smaller defensive ends.
The Spartans recently offered Luciano, a product of Steelton-Highspire out of Pennsylvania. Luciano is a bit of an under the radar prospect, only having offers from Syracuse and Akron. The 6-foot-3, 220 pound linebacker is the second most recent linebacker to get offered with a frame so similar. Kanu is 6-foot-3, 221 pounds.
It is easy to see the possible strategy hear from Michigan State. Rossi has a fluid prototype for linebackers, but if the frame is big enough, they can move a prospect to rush end completely or split snaps between both positions like what we've seen this staff do with Jordan Hall.
Luciano's recruitment could get inflated in the next few months as tape begins to circulate and if the Spartans' offer sparks interest, there could be a boom in interest for Luciano. Regardless, Michigan State under head coach Jonathan Smith has made one thing clear: they don't care how highly touted a prospect is or how many offers they have.
The Spartans want the best players for their culture and the vision the staff has for this program.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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